Signaling

From MeritBadgeDotOrg

2010 Historic (a.k.a. "Centennial") Merit Badges "Data Entry" Deadline: With the deadline of December 31, 2010 for Scouts to earn the historical merit badges, the decision has been made to allow additional time thereafter for entering them into the ScoutNET system. The deadline for doing so has been set as March 31, 2011. This applies to those at the local council who enter advancement based on forms submitted, or unit management software file uploads provided. It also applies to unit advancement processors using Internet Advancement. The merit badges affected are: Carpentry, Pathfinding, Signaling, and Tracking. This is not intended as an extension of time to earn the badges; only as additional time for data entry. Troops can submit advancement reports for Historic Merit Badges earned by Scouts before 12/31/2010 through March 31, 2011. — Announcement from the National Council office.

"The effective date for earning these new merit badges is April 1, 2010, and requirements must be completed no later than Dec. 31, 2010." — 2010 Historical MB Program

"The contemporary merit badges closely resemble the original designs of their counterparts with the exception of the border, which is gold." — 2010 Historical MB Program

The BSA Supply Division will not print (new) or re-print (old) pamphlets for these merit badges – official BSA materials for these merit badges will be available only in electronic format at Scouting.Org. (We have provided you those links, above).

History

1945, 1950 merit badge requirements

Historical Signaling merit badge.

Make an electric buzzer outfit, wireless, blinker, or other signaling device.

Send and receive in the International Morse Code, by buzzer or other sound device, a complete message of not less than 35 words, at a rate of not less than 35 letters per minute.

Demonstrate an ability to send and receive a message in the International Morse Code by wigwag and by blinker or other light signaling device at a rate of not less than 20 letters per minute.

Send and receive by Semaphore Code at the rate of not less than 30 letters per minute.

Know the proper application of the International Morse Code and Semaphore Codes; when, where, and how they can be used to best advantage.

Discuss briefly various other codes and methods of signaling which are in common use.

1938 merit badge requirements

Send and receive by Semaphore Code at the rate of not fewer than forty-eight letters per minute, or in the General Service (International Morse) Code, not fewer than twenty-four letters per minute.

Send and receive signals by sound, using the buzzer, sounder, whistle, or bugle.

Make an electric buzzer outfit, wireless outfit, blinker, or a heliograph outfit and send a message of not less than twenty-four letters with the same.